Attachment for melting furnaces



Jan. 24, 1939. c. A. BARLCW ATTACHMENT FOR MELTING FURNACES Filed se t'. 1, 19s? 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Carl Albeff Daflouf INVENTOR .BYM c./@M

ATTORNE Y Jan. 24, 1939. c. A. BARLOW ATTACHMENT FOR MELTING FURNACES 2 -SheetsSheet 2 Filed Sept. 1, 1937 Carl Alberf .Barl our A T TOR/YE Y 10 of air or steam. on a base I2 which is provided with supporting 10 Fatented Jan. 24, 1939 2544,69!)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,144,899 ATTACHMENT FOR MELTING FURNACES Carl Albert Barlow, Wabash, Ind., assiznor to American Rock Wool Corporation, Wabash, Ind, a corporation of Indiana Application September 1, 1937, Serial No. 162,010 7 Claims. 266-38) This invention relates generally to improvefurnace illustrating another embodiment of the ments in apparatusfor the manufacture of mininvention; and eral wool and more particularly to an improved Figures 8 and 9 are side elevations of memapparatus associated with a furnace or cupola bers of the structure shown in Figure '7, certain in which the raw materials are melted for deelements associated therewith being shown in 5 fleeting and dividing the stream of lava or molten section. materials flowing from the furnace into a plural- In the embodiment selected to illustrate the ity of smaller streams prior to being shredded invention, a conventional furnace or cupola I0 is into fibers by the engagement therewith of a .let employed for melting the raw materials, and sets An object of the present invention is to prolegs ll. The front of the furnace III is provided v de an improved and novel apparatus for dividwith an opening l6 which extends to the bottom ing a stream of molten materialsflowing from a of the furnace and is filled with any suitable furnace into smaller streams of substantially refractory material It, such as refractory brick equal size. or clay. 15

A further object of the present invention is to The refractory material forms a projecting 'provide an improved and novel apparatus for portion from the front of the furnace and is dividing a stream of molten materials flowing provided with a passageway 22 therethrough in from a furnace into a plurality of smaller streams c mmuni ation with e inte i r of h furn 20 and for varying the relative sizes of the smaller through which the molten material or lava flows 20 streams. from the furnace.

Another object of the present invention is to An anchor bar or strip 24 is positioned on the provide an improved and novel apparatus f r difront of the furnace beneath the refractory providing a stream of molten materials flowing from .i i as h w n Figures n and 25 a furnace into a plurality of smaller trea may be connected to the furnace or supported 25 which may be quickly and easily adjusted relaby upright members 28 mounted on the base I2 tively to the stream from the furnace for varying as shown in Figures 1 a d the relative sizes of the smaller streams. A P 0f sp p stationary s pp A furtl'ler object is to provide a improved ing plate members 28, as shown in Figures 1 so and novel'structure for the purposes above reand 2, and are p sed at the opposite sides 30 ferred to, which may b i kl and easfly tof the opening It in the furnace, at the bottom tached to or detached f t f thereof. Each-of the supporting members 28 has in which the several parts may be readily rean outwardly extending flange p t 3% placed. connected with the anchor bar 24 by any suitable Other objects and advantages will be apparent means such as bo ts for fixedly retaining the 35 from the following description. .members 28 in position- In the drawings illustrating the invention: Each of the plate b r 8 is a so prov ded Figure v is a f ta y front elevation of with a projecting portion 32 continuous therea furnace or cupola showing the present invenwith which extends within the Opening b tio as appli d th ret tween the adjacent side of the opening IE and 40 Figure 2 is a Side elevation f one f the the refractory filler contained therein. which porting members which is adapted for being congives added rigidity to the plate members her pronected with the furnace, and comprises a part .Each of the plate members 28 is turf of the present invention; vided with an internal formation 34 which bears on the front surface of the lower part of the rez gig 1 15;: 3 View ak .along the fractory filling material and serves to aid in more Figure 4 is a side elevation of the angle memfirmly i'g g z g 28 m the proper pos on re a ve y o e urnace. her which is adapted for being detachably con- The body portions of the Spaced plate members nected with the stru r shown in figure 33 28 are provided with a plurality of slotted open- 50 Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view taken subings 35 33' and 40 which are continuous with, stentially alo g he e 5- of Figure and are inclined downwardly from the front Figure 6 5 a vertlcel sectional view taken subedges of the plate members. Guide members or stantlally along the line 6-4 of Figure 1; rods 42 and M are disposed in the aligned. open- Figure '7 is a fragmentary front elevation of a lugs 36 and 3!, respectively, of the spaced plate 5 members 20 and are provided with nuts or head portions on the ends thereof in order that the cross-rod will not slide longitudinally out of the openings. It will be noted that the distance between the heads of the rods is greater than the overall distance between the plate members It in order that the rods may be quickly and easily moved transversely out of the openings 88 and a.

A movable member 46 is slidably disposed on the cross-rods l2 and 44, between the plate members 28, and is provided with elongated openings for receiving the cross-rods.

A shelf 48' positioned in an upwardly inclined plane toward the furnace is fixedly connected to the movable member 46 by any suitable means such as by a connecting member 50 which may be welded or otherwise secured to both the movable member and the shelf ll.

An angle member, deflecting member, or open end trough i2 is mounted on the shelf 48, and is detachably connected therewith by means of a pair of spaced studs 84 which are connected with the trough 52 and extend through corresponding inverted T-shaped openings 56 in the shelf 48.

The shelf 48 is adapted for supporting the trough 62 in a position beneath the exterior opening of the passageway 22, whereby the molten material or lava which flows from the furnace through the passageway 22 may drop on the trough and be divided into smaller streams of lava which flow from the opposite ends of the trough.

Each of the smaller streams of molten materials flowing from the ends of the trough 52 falls on a jet or blast of high pressure air or steam escaping from nozzles or blow-caps it and is shredded into very fine fibers known as mineral wool.

It has been found that the mineral wool obtained by the shredding of a small stream has finer fibers, and, consequently, is of better quality than that obtained by the shredding of a relatively large stream.

When the large stream of molten material strikes the shelf it normally divides into two smaller streams of material.

In practice, however, and during the'continuous operation of the furnace, the molten material gradually accumulates on the trough 52 as a solid, due to the wide temperature difference between the molten material and the trough. This condition requires the frequent adjustment of the trough relatively to the original lava stream, either by sliding the movable member 6 on the Elude bars 42, or by tilting the trough 52, in order to control the flow of the smaller streams and keepthem substantially equal in size. The positioning of the trough I2 compensates for the obstructions deposited thereon by the molten material.

In order to manipulate and properly position the trough II, a manually operable actuating rod II has one end fixedly connected with the movable member I. and the other end provided with a handle.

The actuating rod 60 slidably extends through the slotted opening ill of one of the plate memhere 28, and is retained in the desired vertical position by being removably disposed in one of several closely positioned slotted openings 62 in a retaining member 64 which is in the nature of an upright angle bar attached to the supporting base II.

From the above description it will be noted that the trough 52 may be disposed in the desired position beneath the original lava stream by sliding the actuating rod 60 through the slotted opening 40 in the plate member 28, or may be disposed and retained in the required tilted position by raising or lowering the actuating rod 60 and placing in the proper slotted opening 62 in' the retaining member 64.

It will be noted that the inner ends of the slotted openings 38, 38, and 40 are elongated vertically, which, together with the elongated openings in the movable member 46 through which the guide rods 42 and 44 extend provides for the inclination of the trough 52 and the actuating rod 60 within the required limits.

When it is necessary or desirable to remove the material deposited on the trough 52, the trough may be tilted and retained in position for directing the large stream of lava away from the deposit and the deposit may be loosened from the trough with a hammer and chisel bar.

During the loosening of the deposit, the studs ll of the trough 52 are driven to the ends of the lateral portions of the T-shaped openings 58 in the shelf 48, and prevent the trough from Jumping or being disconnected from the shelf. Should the trough be burned through or deformed from continuous use, however, the guide bars I! and 44, together with the actuating rod ll, may be lifted through the slotted openings 38, I8 and II, of the plate members 28. for disconnecting the movable member 46. the shelf 48, and trough I! from the furnace, after which the trough or other parts may be quickly and easily replaced, and again operatively connected with the furnace.

The blow caps 56 for directing the blasts of steam or air against the streams of molten materials are operable for being disposed in the desired muons relatively to the streams of molten mate- The mechanism for controlling the operation of the blow caps 58, however, does not comprise a part of the present invention, and, therefore. no further description in this regard is believed to be necessary.

Another embodiment of the invention is illus' trated in Figures 7 to 9, inclusive, in which parts corresponding to those hereinbefore described have been given identical reference characters.

As shown in Figure 7, a pair of guide members II have ends fixedly connected with the movable member 46 and extend through openings 12 in a plate member H which is otherwise similar to the plate members 28. The actuating member 80 has an end fixedly connected with the movable member 40 and extends through an opening 16 in a plate member 18 which is otherwise similar to the plate member 14. The actuating member 00 is operatively associated with a retaining member N, as herein described, which is not illustrated in Figure 7.

The openings 12 and 16 in the plate members for receiving the guide members II and the actuating member 60, respectively, are preferably L- shaped slotted openings disposed in the positions shown in Figures 8 and 9, and provide for the ad- Justability of the angle shaped trough 52 relatively to the molten stream flowing from the opening 22 in the furnace II. The slotted openings also provide for the guide members 10 and the actuating member 6. together with the associated structure, being quickly and easily-disconnecied from the supporting members 14 and 18.

From the above description it will be observed that a mechanism is provided which accomplishes the objectives hereinbeforeset forth.

Modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is intended that this invention shall be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with a furnace for melting materials and having an outlet opening through which a stream of the molten materials may flow, of means for deflecting and dividing the molten stream comprising a pair of bracket plates connected to the furnace and positioned on opposite sides of the opening, supporting rods carried by the bracket plates, a carriage mounted on the supporting rods and positioned between the bracket plates below the outlet opening for intercepting a vertical molten stream flowing from the outlet opening in the furnace, said carriage being movable between the bracket plates transversely to the vertical molten stream, one of said supporting rods being connected to the carriage and operable for adjustably positioning the carriage relatively to the molten stream.

2. In combination with a furnace for melting materials and having an outlet opening through which a stream of the molten materials may flow, of means for deflecting and dividing the molten stream comprising a pair of bracket plates connected to the furnace and positioned on opposite sides of the opening, supporting rods carried by the bracket plates, said bracket plates being provided with downwardly extending slotted openings continuous with the front edge thereof for receiving the supporting rods, a carriage mounted on the supporting rods and positioned between the bracket plates below the outlet opening-for intercepting a' vertical molten stream flowing from the outlet opening in the furnace, said carriage being movable between the bracket plates transversely to the vertical molten stream, one of said supporting rods being connected to the carriage and operable for adjustably positioning the carriage relatively to the molten stream.

3. In combination with a furnace for melting materials and having anoutlct opening through which a stream of the molten materials may flow, of means for deflecting and dividing the molten stream comprising a pair of bracket plates connected to the furnace and positioned on opposite sides of the opening, a pair of spaced apart supporting rods carried by the bracket plates and positioned one above the other, a carriage mounted on the supporting rods and positioned between the bracket plates below the outlet opening for intercepting a molten stream flowing vertically from the outlet opening, said carriage being movable transversely to the molten stream, and an actuating rod fixedly connected to the carriage and associated with one of the bracket plates for adjustably positioning the carriage relatively to the molten stream.

4. In combination with a furnace for melting materials and having an outlet opening through which a stream of the molten materials may flow, of means for deflecting and dividing the molten stream comprising a pair of bracket plates connected to the furnace and positioned on opposite sides of the opening, a pair of spaced apart sup porting rods carried by the bracket plates and positioned one above the other, a carriage mounted on the supporting rods and positioned between the bracket plates and below the outlet opening in the furnace for'intercepting a stream of molten material flowing vertically from the outlet opening, said carriage being movable transversely to the molten stream and comprising a member positioned vertically for receiving the supporting rods, a shelf fixedly connected to said member, a trough mounted on the shelf and provided with open ends, and an actuating rod connected with the upright member for adjustably positioning the trough relatively to the molten stream.

5. In combination with a furnace for melting materials and having an outlet opening through which a stream of the molten material may flow, of means for deflecting and dividing the molten stream comprising a pair of bracket plates connected to the furnace and positioned on opposite sides of the opening, a pair of supporting rods carried by the bracket plates and disposed in spaced apart, substantially horizontal positions, one above the other, said bracket plates being provided with corresponding slotted openings extending downwardly from the front edge thereof for receiving the supporting rods, a carriage mounted on the supporting rods and positioned between the bracket plates and below the outlet opening for intercepting a vertical molten stream flowing from the outlet opening, said carriage comprising an upright member provided with slotted openings for receiving the supporting rods, a trough having open ends carried by the upright member, and an actuating rod connected to the upright member formoving the trough transversely to the molten stream and for tilting the trough relatively to the molten stream.

6. In combination with a furnace formelting materials and having an outlet opening through which a stream of the molten materials may flow, of means for deflecting and dividing the molten stream comprising a pair of bracket plates connected to the furnace and positioned on opposite sides of the opening a pair of supporting rods carried by the bracket plates and disposed in spaced apart, substantially horizontal positions, one above the other, said bracket plates being provided with corresponding slotted openings extendin downwardly from the front edge thereof for receiving the supporting rods, a carriage mounted on the supporting rods and positioned between the bracket plates and below the outlet opening for intercepting a vertical molten stream flowing from the outlet opening, said carriage comprising an upright member provided with slotted openings for receiving the supporting rods, a trough having open ends carried by the upright member, an actuating rod connected to the upright member for moving the trough transversely to the molten stream and for tilting the trough relatively to the molten stream, and a bracket connected to the furnace and provided with a series of notches therein for receiving the actuating rod whereby the trough may be retained in the desired tilted position with respect to the molten stream.

7. In combination with a furnace for melting materials and having an outlet opening through which a stream of the molten materials may flow, of means for deflecting and dividing the molten stream comprising a pair of bracket plates connected to the furnace and positioned on opposite sides of the opening, a carriage positioned between the bracket plates and below the outlet opening in thefurnace and comprising an upright member, an open-end trough carried by the upright member for intercepting a verticakstfeam of molten material flowing from the outlet open ing in the furnace, means tor supporting the carriage comprising a pair of spaced apart rods horizontally positioned one above the other and fixedly connected to the upright member and receivable in slotted recesses in one of the bracket plates, and an actuating rod having one end connected with the upright member and extending through a slotted recess in the other bracket plate, said actuating rod being operable for moving the trough transversely to the stream of molten materials and for tilting said trough relatively to said stream of molten materials.

CARL ALBERT HARLOW. 

